Amtrak allows firearms in checked baggage

And then we point out that you could already take a dozen AKs on the train regardless of the rules. Next up, scan & grope!

-Gene

Want to hi-jack a train? Get it when it stops at a signal. Cause a defect at a switch, clear the defect you're on the way. Lots of ways to stop a train and board.

Or you could just put something big, like a large truck on the tracks at a crossing after checking the trains location with someone down the line.

Trains are vulnerable period. Some TSA goon sniffing bags isn't going to protect the train.

From the article:

"Starting in two weeks, train travelers will be able to check handguns, shotguns, rifles and starter pistols at stations that offer checked baggage service, including the stations in New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington, D.C."

"The guns must be unloaded and in approved locked hard-sided containers and passengers must declare their firearms and notify Amtrak 24 hours in advance. In addition, reservations that include firearms must be made over the phone."

So what it means is when you take the "10 AK47s" on the train to hijack it, as the Brady Center has said you could do, you must first give a phone call to Amtrak and give them a heads up 24 hours in advance.

With all this notice, I wouldn't want to bring my rifle on the train - you are telling train employees which bag's got the gun in it. There's gonna be a lot of inside theft going on in these checked baggage trains.

Add to it that you can only do this for stations with checked baggage (the list given is NYC, Boston, Chicago and Washington DC) are all cities with unconstitutional gun bans in place.

We can do better than this. Time for another lawsuit. You should be able to carry on the train if you are licensed in the state where the train is.

If the baggage car is truly "not secure" I would be VERY concerned about my firearms being stolen - by railroad employees or anyone else with access. Much safer to ship them incognito, I'd think.

This is just one more reason why people fly rather than take the government train. Amtrak is all politics and no customer service.

Feeble attempt at catching up to Alaska Air, on which I've flown with 2 ARs, a FAL and a Glock and big box of ammo. Took me all of 5 min to check in.

Bill Wiese
San Jose CA

Bending AMTRAK to heel is largely symbolic. I just rode the AMTRAK Wolverine 351 from Kalamazoo to Chicago Union Station:
- No checked baggage allowed.
- Carry on only.
- No firearms in checked baggage.

Even if I could have gotten by with checked baggage I still had to ride the L for two hours to get to O'Hare before the TSA would have made me 'safe'.